In today’s rapidly evolving, technological, and pluralistic society good educators are more important than ever before. At the front lines of those educators are the high school teachers, particularly those teaching in public schools. They are responsible for molding the futures of impressionable teens who struggle with their identity, their self-esteem, unrealistic expectations set by the media or their parents, and trying family or social circumstances.

Teaching jobs can be as physically exhausting as they are mentally and emotionally. Unfortunately far too many schools are plagued by underqualified teachers or teachers who simply do not care about the job or the welfare of their students. This is one aspect of teaching that makes the work environment tough for good teachers who honestly care about what they do for a living.

High school teachers work the same hours as those the school operates in, however, they may have to work late evenings or weekends planning lessons, grading papers, or meeting with other faculty or parents of their students. On the flip side, teachers usually have off during the summer months. Another aspect of the work environment that challenges many is the apparent lack of respect many students have for authority, and teachers are no exception to the rule.

Many young students often possess the mentality that they are somehow so unique that rules just do not apply to them. As a result, it should be known that teaching jobs can be extremely challenging and teachers are often required to have or develop “thick skin” and act professionally even if their feelings are hurt or they feel disrespected.

Because the American education system has slowly deteriorated for a number of years due to lack of funding, an effective response to the compromised system was to increase pay, even if it was marginal. Today teachers can be expected to earn a median annual salary of $55,050 as of May, 2012 and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That pay is respectable and competitive given the schedule teachers are often required to work and the amount of education required for one to become a teacher.

Obviously this number varies from state to state, county to county, and from school to school with private schools paying more than public schools. Unfortunately the Bureau of Labor Statistics only estimates a 6% growth in the job market from 2012 to 2022, which is below average. This means that the market is very competitive and many state certified teachers may remain certified and without jobs for some time.